Denver Broncos Next Head Coach Odds; Quinn, Payton & Ryans In the Mix
- Longtime Saints head coach Sean Payton among the betting favorites to land the job in Denver
- The Broncos are the lowest scoring team in the NFL this season
- See below for our our analysis and best bet for Denver’s head coach below
It can’t be a total teardown, but the new head coach in Denver will have some major rebuilding to do.
On Tuesday, the Broncos fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett, just the fifth coach in NFL history to not make it through a full season in their first season with a team.
The final straw was a nationally televised Christmas Day debacle, a 51-14 shredding at the hands of the LA Rams, who had almost all their star players sidelined and on their fourth QB of the season in Baker Mayfield.
Heading into this year, this was one of the ideal landing spots for any head coach. Now? Well, there’s a lot to unpack. Let’s run down the candidates.
Denver Broncos Next Head Coach Odds
| Candidate | Odds |
|---|---|
| Dan Quinn | +175 |
| Sean Payton | +250 |
| DeMeco Ryans | +650 |
| Jim Harbaugh | +720 |
| Frank Reich | +880 |
| Eljiro Evero | +1125 |
| Shane Steichen | +1400 |
| Darrell Bevell | +1500 |
| Leslie Frazier | +1950 |
| Jim Caldwell | +2200 |
| Eric Bieniemy | +2220 |
| Kellen Moore | +2800 |
| David Shaw | +3500 |
| Byron Leftwich | +3750 |
| Brian Flores | +4500 |
| Peyton Manning | +8000 |
| John Elway | +15000 |
| Bill Cowher | +15000 |
| Gary Kubiak | +200000 |
| Steve Wilks | +200000 |
*SBD Odds. These odds are for entertainment purposes only
Denver, whose 2023 Super Bowl odds were as low as +1200 heading into the season, are 4-11, and the lowest-scoring team in the league, putting up a paltry 15.5 points per game. To put that into perspective, Denver’s offense turns every defense they face into the dominant San Francisco 49ers D (giving up 15.3 points per game this year).
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Rebuilding the Broncos
Whoever steps into the head coaching vacancy is going to have to get the ship moving with everyone pulling in the right direction.
The Christmas Day loss had almost everything that’s plagued the Broncos all season in one hellacious 60-minute showcase.
There were frustrated receivers, who have, on many occasions this year, vented outwardly what they thought of the play call, execution and eventual pass placement. There was an overworked and angry defense that’s felt like they’ve had to fend for themselves all year. Week 16 was no different, left with short fields as a result of a pair of picks, putting Denver down 17-0 less than 10 minutes in.
“OH MY GOODNESS INTERCEPTED!!”
Jim Nantz HYPED to see Bobby Wagner pick off his former teammate Russell Wilson 👀
📺 CBS | Paramount
pic.twitter.com/BfIBugkhg2— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) December 25, 2022
And of course, there was the ineptitude of Russell Wilson and the offense, who again put up a sub-20 point performance, already the team’s 11th of the season.
Wilson’s play has fallen off a cliff, and it’s the main reason Denver is in the mess they’re in. Inking him to massive five-year, $245 million deal, with $124 million fully guaranteed means they’re tied to him, as getting out from under that deal would incur an unprecedented cap hit.
Rebuilding Russell Wilson
The most obvious call here is for an offensive mind to get Russ cooking again.
That has ex-Saints boss Sean Payton as the clear best option, a Super-Bowl winning offensive genius that maxed out the talent of another undersized pivot in Drew Brees.
However, it’s going to come at a cost that Denver might not be able to pay. Payton is still in New Orleans’ stead, and teams are going to have to cough up draft capital as compensation.
The Broncos have already given up two first-round picks, two second-round picks, and a fifth-rounder to acquire Wilson. Even at the most generous of estimations, it’s going to cost at least a first and a second.
.@ByKimberleyA thinks we are asking the WRONG question when it comes to Russell Wilson:
"Not 'Can Russ be fixed?' … I want to know, does Sean Payton want to fix Russ?" pic.twitter.com/odX0QjEItK
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) December 28, 2022
Other offensive minds available include Philadelphia offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, who’s help drop Jalen Hurts into the 2023 NFL MVP conversation.
Darrell Bevell would make sense in that he helped carve out some of Wilson’s best year’s as the offensive coordinator in Seattle.
Eric Bieniemy has been a common head coaching candidate in each of the last three seasons that he’s no longer a hot candidate. But he’s notable for adjusting KC’s offense on the fly with the personnel given with great success.
Other Candidates to Consider
I find it very hard to believe the Broncos would bring in a head coach with no previous experience, as they’ve come up empty three times in a row.
Even as promising as candidates DeMeco Ryans of San Francisco and in-house defensive coordinator Eljiro Evero are, the timing might be off in this situation.
Defense isn’t really Denver’s issue, but a defensive-first coach could still be effective, so long as they hire the right offensive coordinator and team behind them.
While Dan Quinn is a favorite, and has the Cowboys playing lights out, it’s hard to forget his struggles with the job in Atlanta. I’d even place Dallas’ offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (+2800) ahead of him.
If culture change is the way management is thinking, a call should go out to Jim Harbaugh (+720), currently chasing a national title with the Michigan Wolverines.
He turned the 49ers into contenders in his time there, taking a team to the Super Bowl in 2013. He’s built a sparkling 44-19-1 record in the NFL.
A hidden pick on the board is Brian Flores (+4500), who is with the Steelers currently as a consultant.
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What’s the Best Bet?
Denver has gone all in on Wilson, and they’re going to have to get the most out of him to just be able to contend in a division with Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert, let alone a title.
At this point, what’s another couple of draft picks? While Harbaugh might be the ultimate choice, depending on how the bowl games play out, Denver needs pedigree, and guidance to see the light again.
Pick: Payton (+250)
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Having worked in and around sports since 1997, Eric is truly a knowledgeable expert. The two-time journalism grad specializes in all things NBA and NFL. From TSN.ca to CTV's Olympic Broadcast Consortium, Eric's work has appeared in local and national publications alike.
